Celebrating National LEGO Day with First LEGO League
Published 28th January 2026
Today, on National LEGO Day, we’re reflecting on how Wardley Primary School has inspired pupils through the First LEGO League, showing how robotics, coding, and hands-on design can transform learning. It all began in 2018 with a chance glance at a colleague’s email. With support from the Reece Foundation and Nissan Skills Foundation, the school embraced the “Into Orbit” Challenge and discovered the power of LEGO in the classroom.
Hands-on learning that sparks creativity
From the very first session, pupils were building mission models, coding robots, and developing an innovation project to solve an astronaut’s sense of isolation in space. These activities encouraged creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving, all essential skills in design & technology.
Competitions assess teams across four areas: Robot Game, Innovation Project, Core Values, and Robot Design. While initially daunting, events quickly became the highlight of the school year. Pupils return inspired, confident, and proud of their achievements, having discussed their designs with judges and celebrated teamwork.
Iteration, resilience and growth
Success in robotics comes through trial, error, and repeated testing. Pupils refine their code and attachments, learning that even small changes can have a big impact. The school’s mantra, “if you change one little thing about your robot, you’ve changed everything”, reflects the precision, resilience, and attention to detail built through design challenges.
The benefits extend to younger pupils too. During STEM week, children aged 4–9 explored gears, teamwork, and problem-solving. One Year 1 pupil proudly declared he was “almost an engineer” after building and testing designs with his team.
A programme for every classroom
First LEGO League offers a hands-on, inclusive approach to design & technology for pupils aged 4–16. Wardley Primary’s experience shows that it nurtures confidence, curiosity, and technical skills, all while keeping learning fun – a core value of the competition.
Teachers can explore more and keep an eye on upcoming opportunities via the competition page.
Teachers can also download a PDF of the full article featured in DT Practice 1 2025 below or grab a digital copy here.
